Qandil, Iraq – In the heart of the rugged Qandil Mountains, along narrow roads barely wide enough for an old truck, PKK fighters advance through a complex network of tunnels. Here, one of the most shadowy fronts in the ongoing conflict between the party and Ankara is being fought.
Inside these tunnels, dug deep into the mountains for combat and logistical purposes, the fighters live under the daily pressure of Turkish airstrikes. Specialized teams monitor their health in harsh conditions lacking even the most basic necessities.
Field reports indicate that some fighters now spend their days inside rocky passages. They move between observation posts and cramped shelters. Communication devices hung from trees are used to inform commanders of any air movements or surprise military operations.
Despite the seemingly endless war, volunteer doctors who manage to reach these areas confirm they are conducting limited medical examinations of the fighters. Some of these examinations aim to monitor the effects of prolonged tunnel living on physical and mental health, particularly amid increasing reports of extreme exhaustion and malnutrition.
Ankara considers the presence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq a direct threat to its national security. The PKK, for its part, insists on continuing its fight from within the mountains, which have transformed into a complex military network. This makes any political settlement unlikely at present.
As Turkish military operations continue and pressure mounts on the party’s positions, the tunnels remain a testament to a war being waged away from the spotlight… a war that the world only sees when its images emerge from deep within the mountains.
